Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo Prediction, Betting Tips & Preview

Preview

Joel Amorim Aug 23, 2016 @ 01:33 am

Next Saturday, 27th August 2016, a Celta de Vigo, hurting in their pride, will visit Santiago Bernabéu to measure forces with the all-powerful Real Madrid for Round 2 of La Liga Santander.

Without Cristiano Ronaldo, the current European Super Cup holders’ have cruised over Real Sociedad at Anoeta last time out. Gareth Bale’s early goal paved the way to a comfortable 3-0 win on a match where Zinedine Zidane was forced to produce several changes in his team because several important players were unavailable. Newcomers Marco Asensio and Álvaro Morato had a great start at La Liga and presented themselves as extremely solid options for a team that keeps developing under Zidane’s helm.

Portuguese internationals Pepe and Cristiano Ronaldo are still recovering from their respective injuries and are doubts for next weekend’s match against Celta de Vigo. Karim Benzema, on the other hand, is definitely out of the upcoming fixture due to a hip injury.

Croatian deep-lying playmaker Luka Modric, who missed last round’s match due to suspension, is back and will certainly integrate Real Madrid’s starting XI next Saturday.

As for Celta de Vigo, after several solid performances during the pre-season matches, the Galicia outfit started the new campaign off on the wrong foot, losing to La Liga debutants of CD Leganés at Los Balaídos last Monday.

Without Spanish international winger Nolito, who joined Manchester City last summer, Eduardo Berizzo didn’t produce many changes on his usual 4-2-3-1 formation against CD Leganés last time out. Newcomer Roncaglia took over Cabral’s place in the centre of the defence, while Pione Sisto played as a winger up front.

For the upcoming visit to Santiago Bernabéu, “Toto” Berizzo will not be able to rely on the services of Ruben Blanco and Claudio Beauvue, who remain sidelined due to injury. Nemanja Radoja, on the other hand, is already fully recovered from his knee injury and is an option out there.

Real Madrid

Stats: W-1 L-0 D-0

Recent Form - W

Celta de Vigo

Stats: W-0 L-1 D-0

Recent Form - L

Possible Line-ups

Real Madrid (4-2-3-1) – Casilla - Carvajal - Ramos - Varane - Marcelo - Modric - Kroos - Casemiro - Asensio - Morata - Bale

Celta de Vigo (4-2-3-1) - Sergio Álvarez - Mallo - Roncaglia - Gomez - Castro - Díaz - Wass - Pablo Hernández - Orellana - Bongonda - Aspas

Injury List / Suspended Players

Real Madrid - Ronaldo (in doubt) - Benzema (inj) - Pepe (in doubt) - Navas (in doubt)

Celta de Vigo - Andreu Fontas (in doubt) - Blanco (inj) - Beauvue (inj)

Head-to-head matches:

League Positions